Steering-wheel foil automobiles



O. B. FALES.

STEERING WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Arrucmou man APR. la. ma.

l ,309, 1 23. Patented July 8, 1919.

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Orang Palas,

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o. 8.1mm.

STEERING WHEEL fon AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APH. I3. 1918.

Patented July 8, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SIIEET 2.

le wf/vra@ Orangelfale,

TTOIPNEK 1HE commun PLANOGRAH co.. UIABHIMM. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORANGE B. FALES, OF SALEM, OHIO.

STEERING-WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application led April 13, 1918.

To ZZ mlm/a t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GRANGE B. FALEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented a. new and useful SteOring-VVheel for Automobiles, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering Wheels for automobiles and the like and more particularly to pivoted Wheels of this class, the object being to construct a wheel that can be swung out of operative position in order to give more room for the driver or other occupants of the vehicle in getting in and out of said vehicle.

Another object is to construct a Wheel of this class with a locking means to secure it when in operative position and to let the Wheel free to turn independently of the steering column when the occupants desire to leave the car.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that varions changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of construction may be made Within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel constructed according to my invention With the operative position of the Wheel shown in full lines and the dotted line position showing the location of the wheel when swung down to inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through my wheel showing the catch for locking the wheel in operative position and also the latch bar for coupling the Wheel and steering column together.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section through the catch.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my Wheel.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through the hub taken on the line 5-5, of Fig. 4.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding arts throughout the several figures of the rawngs.

eyolrdinary steering` post shown at 1 ai hollow housing 2 arel of the usual with Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Serial No. 228,460.

construction employed o-n automobiles. Upon the upper end of the housing 2 is placed a washer 4 which is of the exact diameter of the housing and fits snugly about the steering post 1. A hub portion 5 is then placed upon the upper end of the steering post and an annular flange extending downwardly from the hub fits about the upper end of the housing, as shown in Fig. Q. Different makes of automobiles, will of course have housings about the steering column, of diii'ercnt diameters and in order io adapt my wheel to any make of car l use an auxiliaryr bushing shown at 6 in Fig. 5 when the steering column housing is of lessl diameter than the fiange of the hub. These auxiliary bushings will all be of the same exterior diameter but the thickness in the metal will produce different interior diameters. I am thus enabled, if for instance the flange of the hub 5 has an interior diameter of one and one-half inches to fit the hub upon a honsino' an inch and a quarter outside diameter iy using an auxiliary bushing an eighth of an inch thick.

Extending inwardly about midway between the ends of the hub 5 is an annular flange portion 7 in which is formed oppositely disposed slots 8. This flange portion 'l' is designed to rest upon the Washer 4, or when the auxiliary bushing is used as shown in Fig. 5, to rest upon the upper side of the said auxiliary bushing. The upper end of the steering post is threaded and upon this threaded portion is screwed a nut 9 and inserted through the open upper end of the hub and about the steering post is an annular member 10 which has an outwardly extending fiange 11 designed to rest upon the upper fare of the hub. A concentric depression of approximately the depth of the thickness of the nut 9 is formed in the lower portion of the member 10, the face 12 of the depression being designed to bear upon the nut. A jam nut 14 is then screwed upon the extremity of the post 1 and 4binds the portion 10 against the nut 9 so that the steering post and portion 10 turn together, the hub 5 being free to rotate independently of the steering post and mem- To further lock the portion 10 to the steering post, screws 13 with counter sunk heads. are threaded through the portion 10 and bind against the steering post. An

aperture 13 informed through .thehub porlion lo pormi.` the insertion ot' the screws` in assembling my wheel and lor extracting llu- .svri-u's and disassenihllng.,the aperture lil heilig brought into alinemeut with the .sri-ru' heads simply hy rotatingi the huh por tion until the head olt the screw hccolm-.s4 risible through the aperture.

["he rim l5 olt the wheel is carried upon a spider [(3 which spider has a pair oli ljiarallel mpinhers 1T spared apart the aplnoxinnite distance ot' theoutside diameter of the hub, which members join at either side of the hub as shown in Fig. 4Land,depending from earli ofthe members 17 is an ear 18. Apertures` are formed through the ears 18 and the hub 5 in alinement with the slots S and through these apertures are inserted pins l wrm-ed hy cutters inscrit-d through suitahhh opii'xings in their inner ends.` the spider being` thus mounted to pivot upon the pins lu and to swing as shown by the dotted linr position Fig. 1.

lhpihdistautljf spared l'rom the parallel memlwrs 1T :unl integral with ilu* huh is an extension 2l), the extremity olwhich is .spared slightly inside the U-shaped portion formed h v the joining ot' the members 17 at one end. An aperture Q1 is 'formed horizontally throuzgrh| this extension and through this aperture is adapteddo be inserteda latch bar member 22 on the inner end of which is formed a depression such as a cylindrical or rectangular hole designed to lit upon a pin 2A formed upon the portion l0 and similar in shape to the hole. When the latch har 22 is inserted as Iiust described it is obvious that the hub 5 will be locked to the portion which portion it will be rena-mbered is secured b v the nuts 9 and 14 and the screws 13 to the steering post 1. It is obvious that the pin 24 and its corre spending opening in the latch bar can be of any one of a great variety of shapes and dimensions. In practice I Will form the opening in the latch bar anydits corresponding pin of a different shape or size'upron every Wheel manufactured `thus one latch bar may not be used upon a) steering Wheel for which it was not intended. In the outer extremity 'ofthe latch bar LI secure a`block of rubber belt or other similar material 25 whiehbears against the inner face of the .U-sliaped portion between the members 17 `and prevents the latch bar from rattling ,when placed in position Within the extension 20. Inserted through the spider 16 in alinement Withthe llatelibar 2Q, is a pin 26 whichisormed integral with a thumb Flever 27 which is mountedbeneath the said spider. The upper extremity of theipin 26 is threaded and upon this threaded end is screwed .a.plate 28 .which lies upon the top face of the .spider and exteni'ds inwardly above the latchbar QZand intodcontact withthe outer extremity of` the extension 20. The inner edge olE the plate 28 is curved on a radius struck from the center ol the pin 26, and

ythe contactingr portion of th(` extension 2() row iinFig. 4. A thumb screw @threaded throligh the under part of the extension .20 fits. within a notch 34 in the latch bar Q2 when the same is in locked positionland preronls 1hr withdrawal of the said latch bar. ln narration my wheel ivill he as follfuvhi le u'ill aslunuA lhal all of the parts `anA aswmhlril as shown iu Fig. Thehuh F. is nonl lofln-d t the portion lu which in turn is loulou! to ihn .steering post. thus when {lnuihi-nl i-: turned the steering post ivill he turned to sirrr ilucar. le will now assumo lha( the driver desires to park his ear and 4leave it unguarded for a space of time. To facili ateohis enit from `thecar and from beneath t lo Wheel he presses the riglithand side of the lever 2T which swings the plate Q8 in the direction indicated by ,the Mirow in l th'us allowing tlie s ider and rim to pivotupon the pins 19 anti swing down to the dotted liiie position shown in Figi 1. This obviously 2gives more room between the steering ypost and the drivers seat. The d river now desiring to secure the car` against theft. unscreivs the thumb screw 32 sufficientlt7 to withdraw its inner end from the notch 341 i n the latch bar. The Espider ha.V ing been previously sW ng down to theposltion shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, the `latch bar 22 can be withdrawn and carried aigvay by the driver. `The Wit -dravval 'of the latch bar now leaves the hu `and Wheelcarried thereby free to rotate Without moving` the portion 10 and steering column and tliapm 24 bein of the peculiark shape of theppening in t e end of the latch bar, no object save the latch bar designed to fit the partie, lar Wheel can be employed ytojoek the Wheell in operative osition again. The Steering mechanism Lhaving been thus disabled it would be impossible to stea'lthe car. fWhen the ownerl returns and desires to once more lckthe steering Wheel into operative'y osition. he rotates the rirn lluntlthe 'etch 35 formed in the extension onthe is brought into` alinernent with the nptcli 36 formed in the portion 10, at Whiehtimetlie pin 24 is in proper register with theaperture Q1 to receive the opening yin thelate bar. The latch bar is new mserted andthe lever 27 moved to swing thopl'ate back lll) into position above the outer edge of the latch bar thus locking the wheel once more in (perative osition.

I- aving fu ly described my invention what I claim as nevi7 and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a steering Wheel for motor vehicles and the like, a steering post, a hub rotatably mounted upon said steering post, a steering wheel pivoted to said hub and lever actuated mechanism for locking said Wheel to said post.

2. In a steering Wheel for motor vehicles and the like, a hub locked to rotate with the steering post of said vehicle, a spider pivotally mounted upon said hub, a rim secured to sald spider and lever actuated mechanism for locking said spider against pivotal movement upon said hub.

3. In a steering Wheel for motor vehicles and the like, a hub rotatably mounted upon the steering post of said Wheel, means for locking said hub against rotation upon said steering post, a spider pivotally mounted upon sait hub, a continuous rim secured to said spider, a pin rotatably mounted in said spider, a plate secured to said pin and an operating lever carried by said pin designed to swing the said plate 1n one direction to lock the spider and rim against pivotal movement upon the said hub2 and in the ollposite direction to unlock said spider to a low it to swing upon its pivots upo n said hub.

4. In a steering Wheel for motor vehicles and the like, a hub rotatably mounted upon the steering post of said Wheel, a spider pivotally mounted upon said hub, a swinging latch pivoted through said spider, an aperture formed in the said hub, a removable latch bar fitting within said aperture and designe/d to lock said hub against rotation upon said steering post, the swinging latch being designed to be moved, When the latch bar is inserted to lock the hub and steering post together, to prevent pivotal movement of the spider on the said hub.

5. In a steering Wheel for motor vehicles and the like, a hub rotatably mounted upon the steering post of the said wheel. a spider and a continuous rim mounted upon the said hub, an aperture formed through the said hub, a latch bar designed to exactly t through the said aperture to lock the hub from rotation upon the steering post and means for securing the said latch bar to lock the hub against rotation.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ORANGE B. FALES.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ave cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

